Part III,
THE VIRGIN MARY – WHAT ABOUT HER?
How can the Virgin Mary be a Mediator?
If you have not read the first two parts of this blog, please take a moment to review them now.
Some teach that Mary is the mediator between believers and Christ. This teaches that those who have gone on to enter the Lord’s rest, paradise, or the bosom of Abraham are not resting. This contradicts the teaching of the Holy Spirit of Truth, Jesus Christ, or the Word of God.
It teaches that those Christians are active and have not rested from their works. They have not entered into their rest, sleep, as the bible teaches.
This doctrine can be easily justified for those who do not know the Bible, but not so easily to those who know it and understand it.
A leader and member of the group that teaches this doctrine explained it to me in this manner. He told me, “You as a minister are a mediator between your family, friends, and members of your congregation. You pray to God for them through Christ.” Yes, this is true and. “Well, the virgin Mary, if you pray to her and tell her your needs, she too will talk to Jesus about you and Jesus will then talk to the Father about your needs.”
There are some things in this teaching that are not in harmony with the teachings of the Holy Spirit who inspired the Bible. Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:1 KJV – “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
Mary has not been resurrected. She, with all the other Christians, is in the Lord’s rest. Neither she nor any of the others will come forth from their sleep until Jesus comes again. Remember 1st Corinthians 15:23. “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.” To teach, as some do, that she has reached the throne of God is contrary to the will of God.
The other thing that is wrong that “As I am a mediator between my family, friends, and members of my congregation, so is Mary” is that there is one great difference. I am alive and active in the Lord’s church. I have not yet entered into the Lord’s rest. I have not yet been retired from my labors by God. Mary is in paradise, resting, inactive, or waiting to be resurrected. Yes, I can and have the privilege to pray for others, but only through and by the Word of God, Jesus Christ, and by and through no one else.
Jesus Christ is the Word which was with God, which was God, and which became flesh when Jesus was baptized.
John 1:1, 14 KJV – (1). In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … (14). And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The Word of God, Jesus Christ, is our authority through and by which I pray to God for others, not through and by Mary, the Pope or anyone else.
If I pray through and by anyone of them, my prayer will not reach God. They are all inactive; they have all entered into God’s rest. They have all rested from their labors.
There is no other name or authority by which we can be saved, or come to God, or communicate with God other than Jesus Christ, the Word of God, or the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:11-12 KJV - This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
All who are alive and have obeyed the true and complete gospel of Christ have a covenant relationship with God and can pray to Him by and through Jesus Christ because Jesus is the mediator. He is the only one who has been resurrected from the dead (1st Corinthians 15:23) and is ruling as King or head of the church. Christians can communicate with Him through the Holy Spirit which dwells in them who are in communion with Jesus and God.
Romans 8:34 KJV - Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Acts 2:38 KJV - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Spirit is the personal representative of Jesus Christ in His church here on earth whose members have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.
1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV - Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Jesus sitting at the right hand of the throne of God communicates with God the Father. Mary is not on the throne of God according to the Holy Spirit who inspired Paul to write…
1 Corinthians 15:23 KJV - (23) But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Revelation 6:11 KJV - And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
There is no Biblical doubt that Jesus is the only mediator, and Christians who have the Holy Spirit and are right with God can pray to God for others by the authority of Jesus.
John 14:16 KJV - And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:14 KJV - If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
What is the significance of “in my name,” said by Jesus? Is it to pray to God for anything and just mention the name of Christ and it shall be done? No. Whatever we ask for, it is necessary that it is in harmony with the will of God. That is why Jesus commanded that it be asked for in His name or according to what he has authorized.
Matthew 28:18 KJV - And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
And Jesus Christ is the Holy Spirit of God which also dwells in us is the one who will speak for us and make intercession for us.
Romans 8:26-27 KJV - Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (27) And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
1 Timothy 2:5 KJV - For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Jesus is the Spirit.
Acts 10:38 KJV - How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
He also dwells in his brothers and sisters in the church, his body.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJV - (16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
By all the scriptures the Word of God gives, nothing is left that can, in harmony with the Word of God, confirm Mary alive, active, and mediating between mankind and Christ.
The virgin Mary and all who have died in Christ have entered into the Lord’s rest, the bosom of Abraham, or paradise. They are in semi-death state, inactive and in joy. They are in eternity – a thousand of our years here but a moment there. None of them have been resurrected who have left this earth; only Christ. They will be resurrected when he returns.
What is left is that only Christ, the Holy Spirit of truth, is the one who makes intercession for Christians or speaks to the Father for us. He is the mediator.
1 John 2:1 KJV - My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Jesus is the only mediator between man and God and the Holy Spirit in his members between them and Jesus.
Coming up next soon will be Part IV, Prayers and the Conclusion of “The Virgin Mary – What About Her?”
Some teach that Mary is the mediator between believers and Christ. This teaches that those who have gone on to enter the Lord’s rest, paradise, or the bosom of Abraham are not resting. This contradicts the teaching of the Holy Spirit of Truth, Jesus Christ, or the Word of God.
It teaches that those Christians are active and have not rested from their works. They have not entered into their rest, sleep, as the bible teaches.
This doctrine can be easily justified for those who do not know the Bible, but not so easily to those who know it and understand it.
A leader and member of the group that teaches this doctrine explained it to me in this manner. He told me, “You as a minister are a mediator between your family, friends, and members of your congregation. You pray to God for them through Christ.” Yes, this is true and. “Well, the virgin Mary, if you pray to her and tell her your needs, she too will talk to Jesus about you and Jesus will then talk to the Father about your needs.”
There are some things in this teaching that are not in harmony with the teachings of the Holy Spirit who inspired the Bible. Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:1 KJV – “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
Mary has not been resurrected. She, with all the other Christians, is in the Lord’s rest. Neither she nor any of the others will come forth from their sleep until Jesus comes again. Remember 1st Corinthians 15:23. “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.” To teach, as some do, that she has reached the throne of God is contrary to the will of God.
The other thing that is wrong that “As I am a mediator between my family, friends, and members of my congregation, so is Mary” is that there is one great difference. I am alive and active in the Lord’s church. I have not yet entered into the Lord’s rest. I have not yet been retired from my labors by God. Mary is in paradise, resting, inactive, or waiting to be resurrected. Yes, I can and have the privilege to pray for others, but only through and by the Word of God, Jesus Christ, and by and through no one else.
Jesus Christ is the Word which was with God, which was God, and which became flesh when Jesus was baptized.
John 1:1, 14 KJV – (1). In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … (14). And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The Word of God, Jesus Christ, is our authority through and by which I pray to God for others, not through and by Mary, the Pope or anyone else.
If I pray through and by anyone of them, my prayer will not reach God. They are all inactive; they have all entered into God’s rest. They have all rested from their labors.
There is no other name or authority by which we can be saved, or come to God, or communicate with God other than Jesus Christ, the Word of God, or the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:11-12 KJV - This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
All who are alive and have obeyed the true and complete gospel of Christ have a covenant relationship with God and can pray to Him by and through Jesus Christ because Jesus is the mediator. He is the only one who has been resurrected from the dead (1st Corinthians 15:23) and is ruling as King or head of the church. Christians can communicate with Him through the Holy Spirit which dwells in them who are in communion with Jesus and God.
Romans 8:34 KJV - Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Acts 2:38 KJV - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Spirit is the personal representative of Jesus Christ in His church here on earth whose members have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.
1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV - Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Jesus sitting at the right hand of the throne of God communicates with God the Father. Mary is not on the throne of God according to the Holy Spirit who inspired Paul to write…
1 Corinthians 15:23 KJV - (23) But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Revelation 6:11 KJV - And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
There is no Biblical doubt that Jesus is the only mediator, and Christians who have the Holy Spirit and are right with God can pray to God for others by the authority of Jesus.
John 14:16 KJV - And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:14 KJV - If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
What is the significance of “in my name,” said by Jesus? Is it to pray to God for anything and just mention the name of Christ and it shall be done? No. Whatever we ask for, it is necessary that it is in harmony with the will of God. That is why Jesus commanded that it be asked for in His name or according to what he has authorized.
Matthew 28:18 KJV - And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
And Jesus Christ is the Holy Spirit of God which also dwells in us is the one who will speak for us and make intercession for us.
Romans 8:26-27 KJV - Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (27) And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
1 Timothy 2:5 KJV - For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Jesus is the Spirit.
Acts 10:38 KJV - How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
He also dwells in his brothers and sisters in the church, his body.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJV - (16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
By all the scriptures the Word of God gives, nothing is left that can, in harmony with the Word of God, confirm Mary alive, active, and mediating between mankind and Christ.
The virgin Mary and all who have died in Christ have entered into the Lord’s rest, the bosom of Abraham, or paradise. They are in semi-death state, inactive and in joy. They are in eternity – a thousand of our years here but a moment there. None of them have been resurrected who have left this earth; only Christ. They will be resurrected when he returns.
What is left is that only Christ, the Holy Spirit of truth, is the one who makes intercession for Christians or speaks to the Father for us. He is the mediator.
1 John 2:1 KJV - My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Jesus is the only mediator between man and God and the Holy Spirit in his members between them and Jesus.
Coming up next soon will be Part IV, Prayers and the Conclusion of “The Virgin Mary – What About Her?”